foldable cross beams...

Experience?

A couple of thoughts from experience gained over the last few years.
Of course it "can" be done.
Work out your loading and hinge system first, and then design the boat around the system and attachments. It is really hard to force a folding system into an existing lightly constructed multi.
B

 

Newick's response to that question (second hand to me) was that if you want a folder buy another boat. Then he went and designed the Aurgonauta 26 which has vertical pins to act as hinges at the ama and the side of the main hull. But the cross beam is really huge compared to a tremolino.

When you figure this out let us know. This is the only reason I have not bought one myself

You could go to diy-try.com to see the smaller simpler folder designed by an amatuer. Or you could look for the Trika 540, being represented by Dudley Dix which has a similar system.

 

Found this (google is such an easy thing to use) and think it is the one you mention
both Mike and Phil are on here I think, good luck.
http://www.ipaustralia.com.au/applicant/thompson-philip/patents/AU2006202237/


I recently had an opportunity to go for a sail on the
prototype "CATSPAW" for a new folding catamaran -Designed by Phil
Thompson, the Breeze 7

www.foldingcats.com

I sail a jarcat J6 that I built 12 odd years ago - so my comments are
from that perspective..

The folding mechanism is brilliant & fast - Pull a string, out she
pops, push a few panels into place -put a few floor panels in & done!
The whole boat is now solid as a rock! - reverse the process to
fold...

Sailing - more like the old micro magic 25 than a J6 - wide stable
platform powers up well in the gusts - barely any effect when I
walked down to leeward when we were going to windward.. we had a hoot
surfing the wind chop with the asymmetric kite & main up...
We did take a bit of water over the front (heaps less wet than say a
seawind 24 is ) - it was choppy & we were racing(ish)... Phil's
planning on a few changes in the 7 metre to reduce this..

Accommodation - Phil's done some smart work to squeeze the double
berth in one hull & two (three on the 7 metre) singles in the other.
A big plus is the storage under the bunks.. It's got a real head
area & room for a small galley

Rig - well as CATSPAW is a prototype she's got a 2nd hand rig from a
16 footer - so as the breeze picked up a bit we had to nurse the
mast a tad..

Hulls,
She has a round bilge with quite a bit of flair (more in the next
version), she runs a single centreboard. quite large rudders - moves
well on the water - I initially thought she must be ultra light by
the way she moved over the wind chop - it was actually more a
function of the beam..

Trailer,
She sits a tad higher than a J6. Phil's got her on carpet covered
beds rather than rollers - works well

Did I have fun..?
Hell yeah!

Would I want one...?
Don't ask, I'll get in trouble from the better half!

Overall impression of the design...
WOW - this is the prototype and it works so well - indeed some of he
critical components are under engineered on purpose by Phil to test
the design systems .. and still it is as solid as a fixed beam
catamaran - not a creak or a squeak to be heard..

Cheers,
Mike K J6 "Moon Dance"

 

I think Phil goes by the name catsketcher.

 

Anyone have a link to Phil / Catsketcher's web site?
The foldingcats.com has nothing to do with boats, look like that website was sold.
I would really like to see his boats, with all the good press, above.

 

You could also talk to Tim at below as I know he did some renderings of a similar design and they are around on here somewhere but I don't have time to track them down, he is a great guy to deal with so if genuine just email him am sure it will save time throwing things back and forward on here......
Tim Clissold
0064 (0)274 858 275
Tim@tcdesign.co.nz
tcdesign@xtra.co.nz

 

As mentioned these were Tim Clissolds renderings of similar to Phil's patented folder. JFWIW